But the Met has ruled out plans for an 8% increase in ticket prices because it thinks that could further discourage people from watching the company's productions.

If the word is concession, then say they're concessions

Peter Gelb on cuts

Mr Gelb said that, thanks partly to $7m (£4.7m) savings made by administrative cuts, the Met hoped to achieve its goal for this year's budget of a $2m (£1.3m) deficit.

But, without action, the shortfall could reach "double digit" millions next year, he added.

"We've asked the unions to work together with us to meet this challenge," he said.

"If the word is concession, then say they're concessions.

"I think the unions and the larger family of the Met believes in the Met as an institution.

"My belief is they will want to do what is right to keep the Met a vibrant, thriving organization."

Expensive revivals

The opera's financial problems meant the edge had been taken off plans for the 2009/2010 season, the New York Times reported.

It said a planned revival of Ghosts of Versailles, by John Corigliano, had been cancelled - to be replaced by Verdi's La Traviata.

Another expensive revival, Benvenuto Cellini, by Berlioz, had also been cancelled.

"It's a great sacrifice, frankly, because it's a great piece of repertory," Mr Gelb said.

The paper said revivals of Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, and Die Frau Ohne Schatten, by Richard Strauss, were being replaced by two other Strauss operas - Ariadne auf Naxos, and Elektra.

Mr Gelb, who took over as general manager in autumn 2006, said: "Because of all the success the Met has had in the past couple of years, we're in a better position to face this challenge than we were otherwise.

"When you go to the hospital for an operation when you're fit, you recover faster."

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